September Moon
by Sunrisepainter
Summary: Maddy spent her whole life in Forks. She wants to leave this one-horse town someday to become a famous dancer. However, things start to change after a big storm and a scary encounter in the woods. It's the beginning of a heartbreaking and fragile, but dazzling first love. [SC/OC]
1. Prologue

**©Sunrisepainter:** _September Moon_

* * *

Title: September Moon

Fandom: Twilight (Novels)

Genre: Drama, Romance, Humor

Author: Sunrisepainter

Language: English

Raiting: T

Plot: Maddy pent her whole life in Forks. She wants to leave this one-horse town someday to become a famous dancer. However, things start to change after a big storm and a scary encounter in the woods. It's the beginning of a heartbreaking and fragile, but dazzling first love.

* * *

Table of Content:

Prologue

1\. A Stormy Encounter

2\. An Anxious Feeling

3\. A Clearwater's Dedication

4\. A Big Dream

5\. A Prejudiced Mind

6\. A Deep Sorrow

7\. A Dangerous Trip

8\. A Burning Anger

9\. A Comforting Hand

10\. A Brave Decision

11\. An Old Legend

12\. A Mother's Love

13\. A Sparkling Dance

14\. A Vampire's Breath

15\. A Heart's Desire

16\. An Unchanging Destiny

Epilogue

* * *

 **September Moon**

 _by Sunrisepainter_

Prologue

* * *

"You have to think outside the box", my grandmother used to say over and over again, whenever we went to see her.

I still can hear her voice in my head, although she is gone for a long time now. I always took her words seriously, even if I never knew what she meant by it. Now, that I'm almost sixteen, I finally know what my dear Granny was up to:

"Leave your small world behind and look out for all the possibilities you have."

She could talk: She had lived at Gulf Coast in Florida where always happens a lot of stuff. Hurricanes, celebrities, tourists...

And while she had been able to enjoy the blooming life, I am still stuck with the rest my family in a small one-horse town named Forks where it was raining all the time and tourists seldom showed their faces

It seems like Phoenix is shielded from the rest of the world, like there is an invisible electric border. Sometimes, to me, it looks ike everything happens slower in Forks then in Washington or San Francisco, for example, but perhaps it was just my imagination.

Anyway, I am looking forward to the day I could pack my suitcases and say:

"Well, it's over Mom and Dad. Have a nice life, but here is nothing what makes me stay!"

Everytime, I think about me leaving, the shocked gaze of my parents comes to my mind. They know about my plans but for now it is still a taboo issue. It is hard to escape from the exaggerated care of my overprotective mother.

However, my goal is simple and clear to me since my fifth birthday: I wanted to become a show dancer.

* * *

 ** _End of Prologue._**


	2. A Stormy Encounter

©Sunrisepainter: September Moon

* * *

 **A/N:** Dear reader, I'm very happy that you found my story and I hope that it will be to your liking. I'm very sorry if there are too many grammatical mistakes, but I'm still not that fluent in English. Furthermore, in my opinion, it is harder to translate a story from English to German than to write in English right from the start. However, tell me if there is anything you do not understand :). I also want to thank **The English Master O.G.** for the first comment. I am really not offended by you, so do not worry :D.

Greetings

 _Sunrispainter_

* * *

 **September Moon**

 _by Sunrisepainter_

* * *

 **First Chapter:** A Stormy Encounter

* * *

A Stormy Encounter

Don't forget buy some butter on your way back, okay honey?"

"Yeah, Mom!"

I rolled my eyes and wiped some strands of my brown hair out of my eyes, so that she was able to see my irritated gaze.

"Don't give me that look, young lady", she shook her head in displeasure and dried her wet hands with a towel. I just had been helping her cleaning the dishes. Now, I actually wanted to visit my friend, but as always my mom did not let me go without lecturing me beforehand:

"And don't forget your keys, in case I urgently have to take care of something. So, if I'm gone, you can't enter the house. Your dad will be back at night and I don't want you standing outside in the dark all on your own. You know what happened in Seattle the other day", my mother talked without hesitation and gave me one of her piercing glances.

I put on my jacket and jangled my keys, so that she could see hear that I would not forget them.

"Calm down, mom. Seattle's a metropolis whereas Forks...well...it's only an isolated one-horse town."

She squinted her lips and gave me this "I-just-care-about-my-daughter expression". I rolled my eyes for a second time, but this time out of impatience. Emma was certainly waiting for me.

"I'll be careful, and I promise you to be home exactly at seven o'clock. If it's getting dark by then, Mr. Crowley will probably drive me home."

My promise seemed to put her mind at ease for a little, because she nodded and placed a mug back on the kitchen shelf. Before she could utter more concern, I put on my outworn winter boots (although it was early autumn, it was rather cold) and left the house in a hurry.

Of course, a lot of rain was smacking in my face while I was cycling along the deserted country lane. Normally, I would have worn my rain coat, but being the mess I was, I completely forgot about. As a consequence, I looked like a wet poodle when I ringed the door bell of the Crowley's.

"Just a minute!", a very familiar voice shouted.

I heard running steps, a clatter, a curse and a crash before the door was finally pushed open. Completely out of breath and with her black curls all messed up, my best friend Emma Crowley stood in front of me. She grinned from ear to ear.

"Hi Mad. Get in!", she twittered happily before she pulled me into the small entrance hall.

"So, what did you break this time?" I raised an eyebrow and looked suspiciously around the room. She blushed a little and twisted one of her glossy curls around her finger. Then, she smiled mischievously:

"Nothing important. Just an old vase of my mother." When I sighed deeply, she added defiantly:

"Don't be so petty! And don't act as if you never smashed something before. Besides, my mom didn't even like this ugly thing."

She crossed her arms and gave me a challenging look. But to her disappointment, I just smirked:

"You're right. Not so long ago, I wiped a picture of my great- aunt with a feather duster off the wall."

"The aunt with the big nose?" Emma giggled. I nodded and joined her laughter. When we were still kids, we often compared my aunt's nose to mine. By doing so, I was always ascertained that there was not the slightest similarity. However, I sometimes caught myself scanning my nose, whenever I passed the picture. Taylor, Emma's older brother who was also like a brother to me, thought it was funny to tell me that my nose somehow looked bigger than the day before. In panic, I always looked for the next mirror to check it out. But now, Taylor went to a college far away and sometimes we really missed. So to distract ourselves, we met as much as possible (which meant every day) and skimmed trough magazines together, watched movies, did "girl talk", chewed down gummy bears and chips or just lazily lingered around.

Today, we were also much too lazy to do something. Instead, we nestled down in the blankets on Emma's bed with a gigantic bowl of popcorn and several cans of _Coca Cola Light_.

While the raindrops were splashing against the window and the wind made branches knock against the window still, we watched our favorite episode of "O.C. California" for the thousands time.

"I love this scene", my best friend mumbled and plugged a load of popcorn into her mouth. In doing so, some crumbs fell down on the colorful carpet.

My mother would have gone mad if this would have happened in my room, but Emma's mom was much more understanding. Not that she was messy or something like that, but she thought that her almost grown-up daughter was old enough to take care of her own room herself. Her motto was very easygoing: If she actually wants to live in a mess, she should just go ahead!

Sometimes, I wished that my mother would have been as cool as Mrs. Crowley. However, she was just...how to put it?..a little _old-fashioned_. I admit, it was not the best word to describe her attitude, but pretty close.

The "almost grown- up daughter" threw a coke in my direction. I couldn't catch it in time, so ,with a "plong", it dropped on the carpet. Emma giggled. I was not amused at all. Sometimes, she was very childish, but I didn't say anything. I just picked it up, tapped the top of the can and opened it carefully.

"Well done! It didn't spill at all", she put up her thumb. I grinned and took a sip.

I glanced out the window. Only meager light gleamed into the jam-packed room (Emma was actually some kind of compulsive hoarder, even when she wouldn't admit it herself) and the shadows of the branches looked like a hungry monster craving for our souls.  
"Don't you also get the feeling that the wind and the rain are getting stronger?"

Musing, Emma followed my glance and slowly nodded her head:  
"You're right, the sky looks darker, too. Hopefully, there won't be a thunderstorm..."

"My foot!", I keenly shook my head, "they didn't say anything on the wetter forecast."

"First of all, my darling", Emma made a strict face and put up her index finger, like our history teacher Mr. Carter always did, "you can't always trust these shady people of the wetter forecast, because they actually talk a lot of rubbish. And secondly, why do you still watch it anyway? Did you forget that it's always raining in Forks?"

"Well, it automatically follows after the news", I just shrugged my shoulders, knowing very well what she was going to say next.

"Yuck, the news! You're so sick!", my best friend shuddered. Did I not say it? I knew it!

"I'm not sick", I growled, "that's called "general education", my dear!"

"Til now, I was fine without it", she said airily.

"Yes, that's the reason why you're actually a genius at school", I shot back sarcastically. She pressed her lips together, so that they lost their color and they looked kind of unhealthy (the picture of the Cullen- family came into my mind. Well, I'll come back to that later on...):

"I'm not stupid, okay? My brain just processes information more slowly than yours, you nerd!"

For a moment, we just looked at each other and then we burst into laughter. We often had these kinds of discussions and they always ended with a fit of laughter.

However, she was actually right about the thunderstorm. After ten minutes, the first thunder crashed down on Forks and made us both shriek. Soon afterward, the first lightning struck and illuminated the room for a brief moment.

Somewhere, the blind of a window squeaked and something heavy banged up the stairs. The door was shoved open and it crashed into the wall. In the light of a new flash, a dark figure appeared.

Emma screamed while I almost fell off the bed in shock.

"DAD!" Emma sighed in relief.

"Sorry girls. I didn't want to scare you, but I need your help right now. W need to secure our vehicles and take Emma's bike in the garage. The weather forecast predicted a serious storm. We need to hurry before it gets worse", Mr. Crowley explained hastily. He already wore his rubber boots and a long raincoat.

"A st-storm?", I stuttered frightened. I probably went as pale as a pillow, too.

"It would be better if you stayed here for the time being, Maddy."  
I nodded, but then I remembered my Mom. She was certainly worried to death right now.

"I think I need to ask my mother first."

"Go, call your parents. I'm sure they won't disagree with me" Emma's Dad said and disappeared.

"Here. You can use mine", Emma offered her phone receiver before I could look for my cell phone.

"It's cheaper, because my parents pay my bill", she winked.

"Thanks", I mumbled and swiftly typed the number.

However, it seemed that nobody was home, so I only left a message.

"What's wrong? You look strange…", Emma watched me suspiciously after I hung up.

"I just worry about my parents. I don't know where they are", I explained after a while.

"Oh, come on, Mad! Your parents won't be as naïve as to go out while a storm broke loose. Surely, your father still has a lot of work to do, and your mother spends her time at one of gossip girl's house, drinking a warm cup of tea", she tried to put my mind at ease. Oddly enough, she succeeded in taking away my worries, although I nervously glanced up at the clouds for one more time.

Lowering our heads and wearing huge raincoats, we helped Emma's dad to block the wheels of his old Mustang with wooden chocks. Or rather, _I_ helped while Emma was too preoccupied with keeping Milky, the family dog, from entering the forest which adjoined their garden.

"Damn it! Why did you have to take him outside, too, Em?", her father yelled trying to drown the wind.

"But he needs a walk", she shouted back and pulled her hood closer to her face. Mercilessly, the rain pattered down on us.

"Help Maddy taking her bike into the garage at least. I'll go to the backyard to collect the lawn chairs."  
Emma nodded and dragged Milky to the garage door. I followed her, pushing my bike along. I almost slipped on the muddy ground. Emma cursed quietly while she tried to open the garage door. It was not that easy considering the fact that she was holding leash of a restive dog at the same.

"Take it", she gave me the leash. Now, it was my problem to refrain Milky from escaping. However, this dog was unexpectedly strong. There was a loud thunder and I shrieked. Being in shock, I let go of the leash. Milky dashed through the backyard while barking like crazy. He eventually disappeared between the fir trees of the forest.

»MILKY!«, I yelled and followed him immediately.

Behind my back, I heard Emma shouting, too, but I did not listen any more. I ran blindly into forest, not minding wind, rain or thunder. All I was think about was catching Milky and coming back as soon as possible. I did not even check if Emma was following me or not.

The trees got taller and the space between them narrowed. Within a short period of time, I could no longer see the beginning or the ending of the forest. I also lost sight of the dog long ago. This was not something unexpected, considering the darkness of this place.

For a moment, I stopped to take a breath. Panting for air, I hold my aching side and took a look around. Except for the rustling of leaves and the thunder, there was no other sound. Somehow, it was very creepy. Slowly, I panicked. My heart raced like crazy. My hands trembled.

Carefully, I pulled back my hood to have a better look. Now, I was happy about her brother's raincoat which Emma gave me before. In my leather jacket I would have been totally drenched by now.

"Milky!?", I cupped my hands around my mouth while shouting, but there was no answer.

When a branch cracked behind me, I spun around in surprise. A flash of lightning struck trough the sky and illuminated the area around me. Chills ran down my spine. I had never been alone in th woods before and especially under these weather conditions.

Again, something rustled behind my back.

"Milky?", I whispered into the darkness. Suddenly, I heard a whining sound. Milky! I hurried into the direction where I assumed the sound. In my carelessness, I tripped over a mossy trunk and fell onto my stomach.

When I leaned on my elbows, I recognized the dog five feed away from me. A little anxiously, I noticed his tail and whole body tensing up, starring into the direction of a rock. He growled dangerously. I was motionless, because of my fear. I did not dare to move or even to breathe.

And then I saw them. Two big, yellow eyes, glaring from in between the rocks. My mouth opened itself to scream, but there was no sound coming out.

Once again, Milky whined as the monster deserted the darkness. The dog escaped. A flash shot across the sky, and I could finally see that the monster was actually a giant wolf. Something like this I have not even seen on TV before. Well, maybe in some kind of horror movie, but this was not an ordinary animal at all. It was huge. Its fur had a bright brown color. However, besides the size, there was no difference from an ordinary wolf.

Automatically, I protected my head with my arms. Trembling, I awaited its first attack. As nothing happened, I dared to take a glimpse through my eyelids. The wolf said motionless next to a willow tree, his eyes fixed upon me. It was creepy. Again, chills went down my spine. Keeping my eyes on the monster, I moved backwards on my knees as slowly as possible. Curiously, the wolf's eyes followed all of my movements, but it did not do anything to stop me.

As I bumped into the trunk (the one that made me fall before), I shakily raised on my feed again.. With a swift movement, I wished the wet strands of hair out of my face. When I was ready to run away, the wolf eventually stepped forward. I gave a shriek, but it still showed no intention of hurting me in any kind of way. On the contrary, it seemed as if it wanted me to befriend it. Was I mistaken?

I shook my head although I knew it could never understand human interaction.

To my surprise, the wolf looked offended!

The whole situation was making no sense at all and it was absolutely freaking me out. Fastly, I spun around, jumped over the trunk and raced through the forest. Not thinking about anything else, but getting as far away away as possible from this creature.

My most dreaded nightmare came true. I was in the middle of a forest. It was dark. It was raining. There was thunder. A giant wolf was lingering somewhere in the shadows and I was lost.

Suddenly, I heard Milky barking and a female voice calling my name. Emma!

"Maddy!"

Relieved I cut a caper.

"Emma!" I answered as loud as I could.

"Maddy, where are you!"

"No idea! Where are _you_?!"

„Just follow my voice, okay?!"

"Got it!"

I tried to calm down my heartbeat and to concentrate only on her. With a loud voice, she started to sing some random song we learned in elementary school.

After some minutes, the branches began to thin out and I reached the end of the forest. Shortly after stepping out between the trees, Emma fell into my arms.

"Oh my god, Maddy! I was so worried about you. Why did you enter the forest on your own? Something could've happened to you! Don't do something dangerous like this again, okay?"

She was really agitated. I was so touched about her reaction that I was nearly about to break out in tears.

"You're crushing me", I laughed and softly freed myself from her tight hug.

"I'm sorry. I was out of control just now. I'm just so relieved", she ran her hand through her wet curls and smiled apologetically at me.

"Come on, dad is probably worrying right now and if we stay the rain any longer, we'll catch a cold", she linked arms with me and dragged me back to her house. While she was talking non-stop, I unconsciously glanced over my shoulder. The forest lay behind us, dark and dangerous,

I eyed my best friend from the side. It seemed as if she did not notice anything, and I did not want to worry her, so I decided not to tell her about my scary encounter. I could only imagine how she would react to the news that some wild beast lived near her house.

Suddenly, I was reminded of the fairy tale "The Little Red Riding Hood". A girl getting lost in the dark woods and meeting the bad wolf. Ha! How ironic! I actually have played the part of the Little Red Riding Hood in our play at Middle School!

"What's wrong?", Emma looked at me in confusion when I suddenly laughed out loud.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about our school play. Daniel Chaines was allergic to his wolf costume, do you remember?"

She giggled:

"He was sneezing all the time. It's unbelievable for he's one of the cool kids right now."

"Yeah, he really has changed!"

"You're the one who knows best!", she teased me and playfully bumped into me.

"I don't know what you're taking about", I played innocent and blushed.

Emma just giggled and started to rant about the possibility of me and Daniel going out. She always thought we would be a good match.

However, my thoughts went back to my time in the forest. I just could not forget those eyes. The eyes of the bad wolf. Could somebody with this kind of look in his eyes really be _that_ bad?

* * *

 ** _End of Chapter One._**


	3. An Anxious Feeling

**©Sunrisepainter:** _September Moon_

* * *

 _ **A/N:** And here comes chapter two. Thank you The English Master O.G  & piggielover98 for the nice reviews. I try my best to keep on uploading as fast as possible, but translating needs its time ;). Please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

 **September Moon**

 _by Sunrisepainter_

* * *

 **Second Chapter:** An Anxious Feeling

* * *

My mother called the Crowley's house around a quarter past eight o'clock. She lectured about about responsibility and told me that she had worried to death. After I was able to assure her that I was fine, she allowed me to stay over at Emma's place. Mrs. Crowley actually proposed this, because Emma, Milky and me were dripping wet when we got home. We had to take a bath for we were shivering and sneezing. Outside, the storm was raging, but we were safe and sound, cuddling in Emma's king sized bed. Actually, my mother always wanted me to sleep on an extra bed (don't ask me why!). However, we thought it was much cozier this way. Moreover, both of us were kind of scared, although none of us would have ever admitted it. Sometimes, we even shrieked when something crashed into the house wall or whenever something was rattling, squeaking or creaking.

"Do you think it'll be over soon?", my best friend whispered into the darkness.

"I hope so. Storms like this always do a lot of damage."

I supposed, she was nodding her head. Like me, she had pulled the blanket up to her nose. It was very comfortable and I felt my eyelids fluttering. A gust of wind blew around the house and made the blinds of the windows creak. It made me think about the animal, no, the _thing_ in the forest. I must be lurking in the darkness and being up to no good right now. Was it probably freezing? No, not with its thick fur. It would not mind the cold, but rather the heaps of water dropping from the sky.

I wiggled my icy toes. We have learned in biology that wolfs are usually appear in packs. Moreover, the wolfs in the fairy tales were just a made up creatures. And if there were actually really more of them in the woods of Forks? Chills ran down my spine. In the news and in the journals, they often talked about encounters with huge wolfs in the woods near Seattle nowadays. I never believed in these kinds of stories even if my parents keenly told me not to get too close to the woods. They were always too anxious about my well-being in the first place. Especially my mom. What would she say if she ever heard about my little „trip" this day? I had to smirk just thinking about her appalled face. She probably would have never let me leave the house again.

I peered at my mobile display and noticed that Sunday approached us on the Q.T. Emma's steady breath told me that she was already asleep while I was still starring into space. The thunder and lighting was already gone, but outside the storm was still howling. Shadowy silhouettes danced trough the room and they made it appear even scarier. I closed my eyes and slowly counted to one hundred. Eventually, I fell asleep after all.

I was rudely awakened by loud engine noises. Emma who was right next to me also opened her eyes wide and both of us dashed over to the window. The noises came from a moped which moved in circled right in front of the Crowley's house. It was an older model which made a lot of noise and which emitted black smoke. In the saddle, there was a person wearing a black helmet. Regarding the muscular upper body, it had to be a guy.

"Hey, who's that?", Emma tried to drown the engine noises. She opened the window widely and hunkered over the window frame to get a better view.

"I also haven't seen him before", I answered and pressed myself on her back to have a better view, too. Normally, this was a very quiet environment, because there was only the house of the Corwley's. That is why the moped attracted our attention.

"What a fool!", Emma said angrily. She could get quite mad if someone interrupted her sleep. Therefore, I could not stop her for leaning further forward (I was afraid she would fall) and screaming at the top of her lungs:

"Hey, you dumbass! Do you don't have any other hobbies instead of polluting our air!? Go where you come from!"

The driver of the moped looked up to us and stopped for a moment to gaze at us. Somehow, I felt very uncomfortable, because it seemed as if he would just eye me up and down. Swiftly, I hid myself even more behind Emma's back. Then, he really accelerated. He dashed toward a small grassy hill and elegantly leaped over it which made us gawped at him. He harshly turned around so that a lot of mud and soil splashed against the wall beneath us. Eventually, he disappeared with such a speed that I was sure his moped was definitely tuned.

"Such a wacko!", while shaking his head in disbelief, Emma closed the window.

"Yeah", I mumbled, "but don't you think he did it on purpose?"

"Of course. Guys like this just want to cause trouble."

"No, it seemed to me as if he wanted to know who lived at this house. As if he did so much noise to make us come out."

"What makes you think something so absurd?", she raised an eyebrow.

"No idea. It was just a feeling as if...as if he would kind of know me and wanted to check if I'm really here." Actually, I did not want to shared this crazy idea with her, but as always my mouth worked faster as my mind. Emma just laughed (as I expected):

"Hey Maddy, you're getting paranoid now. This guy was just some of these hooligans who think they're so cool. They just want to annoy innocent citizens."

I did not answer to that. As usual, she thought my uneasiness was was too dramatic. However, the feeling which was still spreading inside of me could not be wrong. I was sure that the moped driver knew me. Perhaps, it had been a boy from school. Daniel Chaines? Colin Farkes? David Montella? Whatever name I came up with, none of them resembled the guy on the moped in the slightest. He had been way taller than all the boys at her school.

As they were at breakfast later that day, Mr. Crowley got very worked up about that "hooligan" and he regretted not writing down the registration number. Mrs. Crowley grieved for her rose bed which got crushed by the moped. When Emma and me went on the terrace, we saw for the first time the extent of the destruction by the storm. The fir trees were partly disrooted and one of the rain barrels hung ruined on the edge of the roof. Furthermore, the mail box which was usually on the entrance of the driveway was gone. All that was left was a black hole in the ground.

"We we're kinda lucky", Emma's dad said as he came outside, too, "the Corellys lost half of their roof. They had to spend the night at their neighbor's house." I gulped and was very nervous all of a sudden. What if something similar had happened at my house?  
Just that moment, my phone played the newest song of Taylor Swift. I answered the call as fast as I could:  
"Mom?"

"Madison", she sounded relieved,.

"Yes Mom, I'm still alive. Don't worry, my extremities are still in place and I didn't end up at the hospital."

"That's not funny, Madison!", she scolded me, "but I'm happy you're not hurt. At our house, just some old plant pots were knocked over and your father caught a cold, because he went home when it was raining cats and dogs." I could clearly hear the anger in her voice.

"Don't be too hard on him, mom. He probably wanted to check if everything was safe at home."

"I'm sure you're right", then she suddenly changed the topic, "when do you come home? You still have to do some homework. Moreover, we would like to have lunch together with you."  
"Sure, after I've helped the Crowley's cleaning the garden, I rush over as soon as possible" I promised while rolling my eyes. Honestly, I would've preferred to eat at Emma's, but I did not want to provoke my mother needlessly.

"Well, see you and be careful on your way back!"  
"Yes, I will!", I assured her and I hung up without saying goodbye. She would scold me for that later for sure.

"Really Mad, you mom's the most annoying mum I know", Emma sighed. She was the only one who was allowed to talk bad about my mother. If she was someone else, I surely would have scratched her eyes out.

"Unfortunately, you're right."

Luckily, the damage was just half as bad as I had presumed. After an hour, we had turned the mess into a garden again. I could not stop myself from glancing at the woods once in a while. It was unconsciously. Even Emma noticed that something was going on:

"What's wrong, Mad? You're acting as if every moment some monster could pop up between the trees." She was just kidding around, but she actually hit bull's eye.

"Or does it have something to do with yesterday?", she looked anxious. I just smiled:

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

Of course, she did not buy it at all, but fortunately she did not question me any further. I only heard her whisper something like "paranoid".

Sunday was as boring as ever and I was quite happy as it was over. The cold hit my father hard and I was busy bringing him stuff to his bed all day long. Of course, I did not tell my parents about the strange incident in the woods and ,at first, they did not notice that I already went to bed at nine o'clock pretending to be asleep.

Downstairs, I could hear the sound of the TV and the voices of my parents. As always, my mother talked the loudest. I could not understand exactly what they were saying, but sometimes they mentioned my name. My mother was surely worried about something. Certainly, she reckoned that I fought with some friends or that I was lovesick. or something trivial like that.

Last year when I went out with a boy for the first time, I went to bed earlier than usual as well. Just because he saw him with another girl the next say. At that time, I was very hurt and refused to go to school, but my mom did not allow me staying at home. My dad had been a little more cool, though ("Lets just excuse her for a week and you'll see that she'll forget about soon. Just believe me, Louis!"). However, this time they could not know that I was confused because of something else. In my mind, I saw these two eyes over and over again. It did not even go away when I angrily pressed my face into my pillow or just stared at the dark ceiling. Now that I was alone, the picture was much clearer and more intensive. Chills run down my spine.

Not till the first rays of sunshine danced trough my room, I could finally close my eyes for some minutes. Accordingly, I was very tired and grumpy at school the next Monday morning.

"What's eating you?", Emma laughed. Yet, she worriedly glanced at the dark circles around my eyes from the side. Her frown beckoned me that she somehow knew why I did not get a wink of sleep. I just swept my messy bangs off my forehead and then I yawned audibly.

"Some make-up could make a change, darling", Gloria Weepish remarked sharply. She also belonged to our "circle of friends" as well as the shy Shirley Baker and Anja Lampig who originally came from Austria. Gloria was the only one I could not stand, but I accepted her. That is why I just stuck my tongue out at her and put my hair into a ponytail.

"Did you do the math homework? All these numbers are going to drive me crazy some day!", Anja sighed with her best accent. She was a little taller than the others and she had smooth, blond hair which went down to her waist. Moreover, there were many funny freckles on her nose which made her look kind of mischievous. And she actually was a sly old dog, even though she looked like at angel at first glance.

"You may copy my homework if you like", Shirley said and took her exercise book out of her bag. She was a little chubby and had dark curly hair. Most of the time she wore dark clothes, because she did not like to stand out. Gloria was quite the contrary as she loved colorful and fancy clothes the most. She also liked to wear big earrings and bright yellow hairpins. Just for you to get to know them a little. At this point of time, they were actually not this important, tough. You should focus a great deal more on Emma's and mine conversation as the other three disappeared to do math.

"Just admit it, Mad. The whole night, you were thinking whether the guy with the moped really looked for you", she said in a low voice. There was no need for me to deny it any longer. Therefor, I took a deep breath:

"Well, it's not just that. In the woods...there...there...something else happened in the woods." I nervously took a look around, but nobody was paying attention to our talk. The others just indifferently passed us by. Emma raised an eyebrow. Just like she used to do it all the time when she was suspicious.  
"After I found Milky, some kind of big wolf attacked us. It looked like the once the newspaper was talking about some other time. It was very creepy. At first, it did not move at all and in the end, I could escape, too, but the way it had looked at me made me feel sick", I shivered.

"Maddy", she started to talk (and I knew what she was about to say), "that was just your imagination running wild. Probably, it was just a great stone or a bush you saw there. I don't believe in big wolves like this. That are just tales they want to make us believe, so that we buy their papers. Don't get fooled by something stupid like this", my friend was deadly serious. I bit my lower lip. I was sure that it had not been my imagination. I have never been clearer in my head than at that specific moment in the woods. This encounter had some special meaning. I just could feel it and I was disappointed that my best friend did not believe me.

The bell saved both of us. Her, because she did not want to make me feel like she was not interested in me. And me, because it spared me another embarrassing and paranoid moment.

J. Kingsley was the only teacher who tortured us with numbers and formulas right in the first lesson. His exercises were always very hard to solve and that is why it was the only subject I was bad at. Of course, I did not belong to the "gifted students" either. My grades were just around average and I was really proud of that. At least it did not look as if I was not trying and my friends would not call me a "nerd".

"Miss Shay, you did not pay any attention again. Therefore, you will have to write an essay about the calculation of the area of a circle with the help of pi."

Nuts! He actually waited for a chance to punish one of us. He was really the only teacher who treated and graded us equally. Everyone did equally poor.

I buried my face behind my book and wildly typed my calculator to finally get the right solution. If I would not find it, I would get another great homework in addition to the essay.

"Mr. Kingsley! I've got it!", Gloria cheered.

"Miss Weepish, if you would sit down please", the teacher snarled. Since they knew him, he never had praised anyone. And he always kept a straight face whether he was happy or angry. He always looked very cold and indifferent as if he was not interested in anything at all. I always knew it: numbers made people to outsiders. At the end of lesson, everyone, besides Gloria and another student, were blessed with another load of extra homework.

"My afternoon is saved!", Emma moaned ironically as we left the classroom.

"Shush, maybe he'll hear you"; Shirley hissed.

"As if", my best friend sneered, but just in case she looked over her shoulder.

"Would you like to come over at my house to do the homework together? My mom baked some cake and you wouldn't mind some tea, too, would you?", Anja offered.

"I'm sorry, I have -" I wanted to say "dancing lessons", but I stopped in the middle of the sentence and starred alarmingly at the school's forecourt. That was were most of the students parked their cars. Well, at least the students who owned a car.

"What's wrong?", Gloria frowned and followed my gaze, just like the other three.

"That's..!", Emma exclaimed. I rubbed my eyes.

"Either I'm getting really paranoid right now or I was right all the time", I could not suppress this 'See-I-told-you-before'- undertone in my voice.

"Who's that?", Anja and Shirley exchanged questionably looks.

"The driver of the moped", I mumbled, "the driver of the moped who wants something from us."

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter Two.**_


	4. A Clearwater's Dedication

**©Sunrisepainter:** _September Moon_

* * *

 **September Moon**

 _by Sunrisepainter_

* * *

 **Chapter Three:** A Clearwater's Dedication

* * *

"Hold on, start from the beginning", Gloria raised her hand, "what do you have to do with this kind of guy? I mean, look at him! He's different from us."

"How would you know? He wears a helmet."

"Why are you whispering, Shirley?", Anja scoffed, "I don't think he can hear us."

However, I was not quite sure about that as he suddenly got off his moped and pulled off his helmet.

"I don't believe it", Emma grabbed my arm, "that's someone from the reservation, right?"

I nodded without taking my eyes off this strange guy. He was very tall and his skin had a reddish color. His hair was dark and messy from the weight of the helmet. After looking more closely, I noticed that he was just wearing short, torn pants and a baggy white T-Shirt. Up to now, he did not see us, but it seemed like he was looking for someone.

Then he saw our curious stares and spun around in one fell swoop. First, he eyed the others. For a moment he watched Emma more intensively and finally his eyes landed on me. On me!

Our eyes met. It seemed to me as if I had seen those eyes before. They were brown and intensive but also very calm and warm. We just stared at each other and I did not even notice how my face heated up. A warm smile appeared on his lips.

Quickly, I averted my eyes to the ground. Somehow, he was creepy. I did not event want to know what he wanted with us. The way he looked at me was not ordinary at all. As if he looked for something in my eyes and found it. As it this something made him very happy.

"I think he has a thing for you", Gloria giggled. I glared at her. It was so like her to think about stuff like this. Then again, I was afraid that she was actually right? The heat of my skin was beyond all bearing now.

I did not want him to like me. He came from La Push, he was a Qui. Like some other people in Forks, I preferred to stay away from people from the reservation. Moreover, my mother would be very concerned of I would talk to one of them. There was a reason why they lived far away from us. They were different. They had other customs and traditions. And there were some strange rumors about them.

"Wow, here he comes", Shirley squeaked timidly.

My head rocket upwards and I noticed appalled that she was absolutely right. He slowly walked towards us. The other students around us stopped in their tracks and just stared at us. On the one hand, they seemed quite curious and on the other hand, they also looked scared.

His eyes were still fixed on her and his smile was still in place. And he was...nervous?

"What should we do?", I asked from the corner of my mouth.

"Let's just wait and see what he wants from us", Emma suggested without batting an eye.

In panic I nearly bit my bottom lip. She really wanted to talk to him?

I knew that she was a little odd sometime, but this was even out of character for her.  
"Count me out!", I hissed.

The moped driver was now about five steps away from us and I saw no other was out. I had to escape!

Without give a word of warning, I spun around and ran. I ran without looking back, although I felt all their eyes on my back. They burned like fire.

"But Maddy!", I heard Emma call me in surprise.

I did not answer, but just went on running. Back to the school building. I dashed trough the hallways and some students alarmingly made way for me. I did not know where my escape would end, but I imagined that I still felt their eyes on me. I withstood the urge to turn around and check if they maybe were following me. I just went on and on. Automatically, my feed brought me straight to the gym.

Not till I stopped in front of the great wooden door, I dared to take a breath and to take a look around. Besides some unknown teachers and students, there was nobody I knew.

So, nobody had followed. This made me feel a little more calm and my breath became steady again.

To tell the truth, it was very childish to run away, but there was no other possibility for me at that moment. Now, that the danger was gone, I could finally clear my mind.

I actually had no clue what this boy who obviously lived in the reservation wanted with me. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe he did not even spy on us, but in fact looking for someone else.

"Nope", I whispered, "that can't be a coincidence."

I needed something to distract myself from these useless thoughts and to forget his face and his eyes which looked so damn familiar to me.

I peered over my shoulder and as I was sure that no one was watching me, I carefully opened the door to the gym.

While still leaving my eyes on the hallway, I pushed myself through the door frame and softly closed the door behind me. Not until then I dared to turn around and was shocked for a second time this day.

"This can't be true!", I though. I stopped in my tracks and did not dare to move or even to breathe.

The gym was parted into three different areas. One part was for everyday P.E. lessons. In other words, a space which was suitable for playing soccer, hockey, basketball etc. Another area was decked with a lot of mirrors for dancing lessons. And in the area in the middle of the gym, where I stood right now, someone had spanned some nets for playing volleyball or badminton.

Just across from me was a boy wearing sports clothes and carrying a tennis racket in his hand. He was concentrating on balls coming flying out of a machine.

I pressed my back against the wood paneling and prayed that he would not notice me as the boy was no one else but Daniel Chaines!

My face reddened more than ever and I could not help but stare at him. Who would have though that out of all people I would meet alone with the boy I had a crush on since first day of high school?

Exactly, the odds are a million to one. A lot of girls wished for this sort of fateful encounter with him and I of all people was the one who got the chance to get a hold of him without his friends.

"Do you plan on standing about longer all dressed up and with nowhere to go?"

His voice interrupted my thought and I gawped at him in shock.

He stopped striking balls and was now looking at me with an amused grin on his face. My bottom lip started to tremble. I was keen on replying, but I just could not. Were was my goddamn spontaneity if I really needed it?

I got weak in my knees and I probably would have tumbled if there would not have been the wall behind my back. I completely made a fool out of myself!

"So, if you wish, you're welcome to continue watching me. Or did you come here to train as well?"

He questionably raised an eyebrow. I automatically moved my head from the one side to the other. Shaking my head brought back my common sense and I finally was able to answer him with a croaky voice:

"N-no, I-I..."

I couldn't utter a full sentence at all, but it seemed as if this was enough for him and he got back in place to proceed with whatever he had been doing.

"If I were you I would look for another spot to sit down. A tennis ball can be quite hurtful", he smirked.

I nodded my head in silence and groped my way alongside the wall to sit down on a box with basketballs some meters away from the tennis court.

Suddenly, all my worries seemed to be gone in a flash and my eyes only followed every movement of Daniel in fascination.

"Next week, I have an important match, you know", he said while flailing at the incoming tennis balls, "I'm actually not allowed to be here on my own, but my coach put in a good word for me. I have to train as much as possible, because my opponent is rumored to be quite strong."

He talked a lot more, but I did not listen anymore. I still was too entranced by him darting back and forth and striking every single ball. The smile on his face indicated that he was doing something he loved the most in this world. I nearly let out a sigh as he was more handsome than ever and as I was caught in the moment. Although he did not look at me once, I felt closer to him than ever.

We never talked much to each other these days. In middle school, we had been on good terms, but in high school he suddenly became all popular and I felt strange talking to him so casually.

Solely, his looks made me feel insecure. Of course, he was the athletic type. His hair gleamed like gold and it casually fell into his face. His messy hair usually made him look wild and nonchalant. Now, his hair was all sweaty and glued to his face, but he was still as sexy as ever. The best were obviously his eyes of course. I could have counted the colors for hours: lime, apple, taupe, forest green, cyan...

I had to be careful not to let myself get carried away by these daydreams and instead to pretend I was listening to his monologue carefully.

"And what are you doing in your leisure time?"

I shrieked as he suddenly addressed me and somehow, I felt caught off guard. However, his gaze was neither taunting nor angry. The smile was permanently glued to his face.

I gulped dryly and tried to from the words in my head into a reasonable sentence.

"Dancing. I dance."

Brief, but it was still a beginning and he could understand what I meant.

"Really? And what kind of dancing? Hip hop? Jazz?"

He sounded quite interested which mad me happy. My heart started to flutter like a young butterfly.

"Contemporary. I favor hip hop, but sometimes I also do some break dance, salsa or ballet. It depends on my mood."

"Not bad", he whistled appreciatively, "do you take part in something like competitions?"

I shook my head:

"I did in the past, but today I'm just doing it for show. I'd like to dance in music videos or on Broadway one day."

"I see, so you want to become a professional dancer. Is it a well-payed job?"

He sat down next to me and looked at me questionably. I had already overcome all of my shyness and only sighed:

"Unfortunately, these dancers can keep the wolf off the door. My parents still don't know about my dreams. I think my dad's going to be very disappointed in me."

"They don't seem to thrilled about your dancing, right?"

"They think it's okay as long as it's just a hobby. However, as profession...they don't even want me to think about it..."

"Are they pretty strict?"

"Actually, my dad isn't at all and my mom...well...she's just overprotective, I guess."

"You're an only child?"

"Yeah."

"Me too, but I don't have a mom anymore. I live alone with my dad."

"Oh!", I gave him a concerned look, " may I ask what happened?"

He lowered his eyes and it looked as he was fighting an inner battle before he suddenly sadly smiled at me:

"She committed suicide several years ago. She threw herself in front of a train, as far as I know."

I fiercely gulped. I did not know about that at all, even though everybody knew everybody's biography in Forks.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be. I mean, it wasn't you who killed her, right?"

His smirk looked more than forced. I avoided his gaze. I did not want him to see that I was actually pitying him. After all, he must have heard many people express their condolences.

However, he instantly saw trough me.

"Don't worry about it, Maddy. It's all in the past now and you don't have to treat my different than before."

"That's not my intention", she replied honestly, "so...your father...what's his job?"

Of course, I knew the answer, but I absolutely had to change the subject. He also seemed to be relieved and his old, enthusiastic smile came back to him:

"He's forest ranger. I myself think that it's the most exciting job of the world. Sometimes, I accompany him to the woods and he shows me some places which people usually get to see. He knows the woods like the back of his hands. If you feel like it, you may come along some time."

I returned his smile and nodded. Suddenly, there a strange voice in the back of my mind called out to me. It reminded me of things I always tried my hardest to forget for some time now and the next question followed automatically:

"And did you ever come across any unusual animals?"

"Sure. It's hard to believe but there exist quite some rare species around here."

"No, I didn't mean it in the sense of _rare_ but rather like extraordinary huge, like huge wolves or something like this."

He stared at me in astonishment while I angrily bit my bottom lip.

Crap! Just when we were about to getting along better than before I started to ruin our new friendship by asking strange questions.

However, his eyes got all excited instead of him laughing at me. It seemed as if he was really keen on this subject. He fiercely nodded his head which made his hair all messy. If I had not been curious about his answer, my heart would have jumped right out off my chest.

"There actually were some strange incidents lately. You surely heard about tourists claiming to have seen giant wolves hunting in this area. However, don't believe everything you hear. My father always says that they're just mistaking bears for these wolves."

"So, you don't believe these kind of stories either?", I asked further and I could not really suppress the disappointment in my voice.

"Well, as long as it isn't proven that these creatures are really bears, I'm convinced that it isn't just phantasmn."

He took a deep breath and looked deep into her eyes. When his face got closer to hers and his breath softly touched her cheek, she though she was going to faint. Oh, this strong gaze!

His whispers stroke her skin like sandpaper:

"At night, things happen in this woods that not even my father know of. Things which are invisible to human eyes. It's not as peaceful as it seems right now. I've never seen any of these dark creature, but I can tell that they surely linger around somewhere."

Brimming with excitement, I moistened my lips. I was also whispering now:

"What kind of creatures?"

There appeared an occult smirk on his face:

"Vampires, werewolves, spirits and other monster."

This made me speechless with terror. I stared at him with round eyes and did not know whether I should laugh or to be afraid to death.

It sounded ridiculous. However, his look showed that he was deadly serious.

Both of us shrieked as all of sudden the door was forcefully opened.

"Oh, seemed like we're interrupting something good!"

I would have recognized this giggle everywhere. As if I burnt myself, I suddenly jumped onto my feed and brought as much space between Daniel and me as possible.

"There you are, Mad! We were looking for you."

Emmas voice was reproachful. Shirley curiously let her eyes wander between Daniel and me while Gloria's obvious smirk revealed her derisive side. As always, Shirley remained in the background.

"Well...I...um...I just needed some time for myself. Accidentally I...kind of... met Daniel…." I stuttered awkwardly.

"Yea, "accidentally", of course", Gloria taunted me. The boy cleared his throat:

"I think it's time for me to go. My dad's surely waiting for me." He collected his tennis stuff and moved the tennis ball machine back to its regular spot.

I just watched him quietly while at the same time, trying to avoid the suspicious looks of my friends.

"So, I guess we see each other tomorrow. It was cool talking to you." He winked at me and left the gym. After he was gone, there was an awkward silence. Gloria was the first to attack me with her nasty comments.

"So it's like that, sweetie. Good to know." She clicked her tongue and her smirk got even wider.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I snapped and tried to look as composed as possible.

"Come on. We all know that you've got the hots for him." Anja rolled her eyes and put her arm around me. Angrily I pushed her away and shot each of them a death glare.

"Believe what you want, but we've just met coincidentally as I escaped from..." I faltered. Escaped? Did I really escape? I didn't know anymore. In fact, I didn't know anything anymore.

"That's another subject we have to talk about." My best friend, who didn't say anything up to now, planted herself in front of me.

"How dare you leave us in the lurch and running away like day?"

I slightly kept my head down. When she saw my guilty expression, her features relaxed a little. She sighed deeply:  
"I mean, you're usually not a coward at all. You're usually stand your ground 'til the end."

"Well." I started my explanation. "Didn't you see him? Didn't you see what he looked like?"

"Of course, I did!" She huffed. "His clothes didn't look as cool and new as ours, so what? You never cared about other people's appearances before. You never cared about them being rich or poor, ugly or pretty, ill or healthy. You never judged them at all."  
"Until now, I didn't meet anyone from the reservation." I retorted.

For a moment, she only stared at me bewildered. The disappointment about my behavior was clearly visible on her face.

"Madison." She seldom used my full name. "Does it mean that you believe in everything you're parents have told you about La Push?"

She seemed to be seriously shocked. Suddenly, I got defiant. She did not have the right to doubt my parents' words!

"But they're absolutely right! These people are Amerindians. They have another skin color! They aren't like us! They're different!"

"Oh really?" She provocatively raised an eyebrow. "I also have a different skin color than you. Am I different as well?"

"No." I objected and desperately tried to find the right words. "You're my friend. You and you're family live with us in this town. The Quileute however live in isolation. There has to be a reason for that!"

"Yeah of course it does!" Her voice was getting louder now. "Did it ever cross your mind that they just don't want to have anything to do with such narrow-minded people like you!"

She downright screamed the last sentence in my face. I could see how Shirley hid behind Anja. She did not like people fighting, especially not her friends.

I did know how to answer her. She really hit me hard. I did not expect her to think that I am so superficial. And yet, it was not only the appearance of that boy, but his whole aura which had made me quite nervous. However, it was pointless trying to explain Emma while she was that angry at me.

"And I really ask myself now why he was so interested in you. I feel really sorry for that poor guy if he still likes you after all." She just shook her head and wanted to got.

"What else did he say to you?" My voice was quiet, but firm.

She stopped in her tracks and thought about it for a moment whether she should respond to my question. I had no other choice but to take it further:

"Listen, Em. I'm really sorry that I run away then, but I didn't no how to react. And the reason why I dislike Quileute so much might just be, because I have never talked to any of the, before. Since I was a child, my parents have told me that they're bad people, but deep inside, I know that my parents are wrong."

I hesitated before going on:

"Foreign things scare us sometimes. You all know it. When you transferred to our school, Anja, you were really scared as you didn't know anything about everyday life in America.

And you, Shirley, when you was ask to present one of your poems to the whole class a while ago, you nearly died from fear. It had been a pretty new experience for you. First. you refused and if Miss Burne didn't persuade you then, you wouldn't have known how delighted everyone had been to hear your verses.

Maybe, I still need a push in the right direction. Maybe, the Quileute aren't that bad as everyone wants to talk me into believing. Maybe...maybe, I should start to think outside the box."

To tell the truth, this small "speech" was quite corny and quite long, but it was not the first time that words passed my lips this freely. I was known for my spontaneity and eloquence.

"Clearwater."

"Pardon me?" I did not understand what Emma wanted from me. She still faced me with her back.

"That guy's family name is Clearwater."

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter Three.**_


	5. A Big Dream

**©Sunrisepainter:** _September Moon_

* * *

 **September Moon**

 _by Sunrisepainter_

* * *

 **Chapter Four:** A Big Dream

* * *

"Clearwater? How did you know? He didn't say his name at all..." Anja raised an eyebrow.

Emma turned around in one go. Her face was like frozen, but then she closed her eyes, as if she had to remember something first. Eventually, she gave me a sober look.

"You remember that I went to that wedding last year, right?"  
"To a wedding?" Gloria intruded. Emma did even look at her as she nodded her head.

Of course, we all knew what she was talking about. After all, everyone of us could still not understand how people could marry this young nowadays. You're wondering who I am talking about?

About the Cullens, needless to say – well, more precisely about Bella and Edward Cullen. Bella was the daughter of Chief Swan, who I have seen a few times in his patrol car. Edward however was the son of a rich doctor. After all the Cullen-children (I remembered them as beautiful, arrogant students) had graduated, we didn't see anyone of them again.

Since Emmas brother Tyler was a friend of Bella's, she and her family had been invited to the Cullen-wedding. After that, Emma raved about the decoration and the beauty of the bride for days and days, so that we soon got fed up with it.

At first, Gloria had been very envious of Emma for she has not been invited, but by now, she had gotten over it.

"All the time, I have turned it over in my mind before I realized where I have seen that strange boy before. He had been at the wedding, accompanied by his sister and his mother. They seemed to be quite close to the Cullens as they were talking noticeably often to them. I only remember that they were introduced to me by the name Clearwater, but I forgot their first names." Emma told us.

"He's friends with the Cullens?" Shirley asked astonished.

"As I said, it's just my assumption." Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"In that case, he has to be a psycho." Gloria huffed.

"Just because you couldn't the stand the Cullens back then, it doesn't mean that others feel the same way." Anja rebuked her.

"Please, don't fight." Shirley pleaded. Both of them complied with her request in a jiff as they were even more interested about my reaction to these news. However, my reaction was not that shocking as I was deep in thoughts.

I had heard the name Clearwater a few times before, but I never could associate a face with it.

"Did he talk to you?" I asked by the way while I was still thinking if I also knew the young Clearwater from somewhere. There had been something familiar within his eyes. I don't think that I imagined it! Did I ever met him on street or somewhere else?

"He wanted to know why you left this quickly." My best friend piped up again. "Gloria informed him that you're just a little shy."

I crossly glanced in Gloria's direction, but she acted as if she did not see it.

"Thereupon, he just looked a little upset and asked for your name."

Anja explained and she could not hide her sadistic smirk. Her words made an impact on the spot. I opened my eyes and my mouth widely and stared at her in panic:

"You didn't tell him, die you?"

Gloria's grin and Shirley's lowered head said more than a thousand words. I sighed aloud:

"That just can't be truth! You don't even know exactly why he wanted to know my name!"

"Calm down!" Emma said harshly. "He neither knows your full name nor even your family name, not even your phone number."

"Very reassuring." I hissed. "As there are so many Maddys in Forks!"

Anja started to giggle about my sarcastic undertone while Emma furiously tightened her eyebrows.

"Mad, you're acting like child." She nagged. I did not fel guilty at all and just stared sulkily dead ahead. Suddenly, I startled looked at my watch.

"Oh snap! Why didn't tell me anyone that it's almost half past three? In two minutes, dancing class will start!" I hissed and ran off. For a second time this day I had to run. What did my grandma always tell my parents?

"Look after your daughter well or she'll run away from you. She's a whirlwind girl." How right she had been, my lovely Grandma Conolly...

* * *

"Maddy, you're too late!" Miss Gellar put her hands on her hips and looked at me reproachfully.

"I'm very sorry."

I threw my stuff into a corner of the dancing-hall and absconded in the last row between some other girls my age. At the front were only the younger ones anyway. The ones who now and then tripped over their own feet or who completely lost the beat.

"Okay, let's do some aerobic dance to warm up." Miss Gellar clapped her hands and positioned herself in front of the mirror.

"Step and touch!"

* * *

The song which our dance coach chose that day matched my mood just perfectly. At the beginning, it was a little dull but to the end it got faster and faster, as if someone was making an escape from something. Dramatic, tense, frantic. The melody reflected the first half of my day.

Perhaps, it was just my imagination.

However, I let myself get carried away by the music and felt how it took control of my whole body and soon of my mind as well. I floated. I always felt like this while dancing. I forgot everything around me. My friends. This Clearwater – guy. My parents. My teachers. And yet the thoughts about Daniel were pushed aside.

All of a sudden, I saw my future. Like a shimmering rainbow bubble, my future hovered in front of my eyes up and down. It was within my reach, but I didn't dare to touch it, afraid it would burst any minute.

My dream. My utopia.

I swirled around and I knew that I did not wan to do anything else in my life. I wanted to dance to the end of my days. To the end of the world. Up to the moon.

I came back down to earth with a bang when the music died away. I had to come back to reality for a second. It seemed as if I had been light years away.

"Gosh Maddy! You look as if you've just woken up from a beautiful dream." Samantha giggled. She was a year younger than me.

She did not even know that she hit bull's eye!

"Did you at least see Prince Charming and his white horse?" The hopelessly romantic Kelly wanted to know.

"No ,but a big bad wolf." I mumbled to myself.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. I just thought about something..."

"So girls, let's call it a day!" Miss Gellar exclaimed.

"What? Already?" I looked disappointed. The time always rushed by while I was dancing.

"Can I talk to you for a moment, Maddy?" The coach looked at me questionably.

I nodded in surprise. What could she want with me? It seemed to be urgent. Curiously, the other girl looked back and forth between me and Miss Gellar while one after the other left the dancing-hall.

Miss Gellar picked up her CDs and her CD-player and stowed everything in her big gym bag. I just stood and watched her in silence. I did not really now what to say.

If she wanted to punish me for being late?

However, she did never punish anyone of us before. I came to know her as a friendly, fair and marvelous young woman who was everything but strict.

She kept her reputation as she suddenly smiled at me. On the inside, I sighed in relief. So, she was not going to punish me.

"I just wanted to ask if you're interested to prove your talent as a dancer."

"What do you mean?"  
"I've watched you, Maddy. In the last few weeks, you worked so hard that you're now one of our best dancers. Your expression also shows that you're enjoying yourself."

I blushed a little hearing her praises and I was pretty proud that she though I was gifted.

"Maybe, you even feel like taking part in a musical in New York with some other kids.."

I gasped for air and in my mind her words repeated themselves over and over again. They just slowly reached my brain.

"A musical? In New York? Me?"

"Yes, I got an invitation yesterday. Kids all over America are going to participate. First, there will be a casting and if they think you're what they're looking for, you'll get a role which matches your dancing. As far as I know, it's a mixture between contemporary dance and ballet, plus Hip Hop and Jazz. That doesn't sound to bad, huh?"

"Not too bad?" I squeaked and nearly got a heart attack. "That's amazing! Unbelievable!"

She laughed:

"I knew you would be ecstatic."

I nodded my head smiling brightly:

"Of course! When does it start? How do I get there? Do you think I stand a chance? There will surely be thousands of great dancers!"

"Trust me, Maddy. You really have all that it takes. The castings will start in two weeks in Seattle. If they think you're good enough- what I do not doubt at all means-, they'll send you to New York by plane."

"Awesome!" I whispered and could barely restrain myself from jumping up and down in excitement. That would have definitely looked foolish. If they would really take me, it would not take that long too reach my big dream. Today New York, Broadway, Paris and tomorrow, the whole world.

For a moment there, I had to take a deep breath to calm down a little. However, Miss Gellar had still more to say.

"So, if you've calmed down, I have more news to you."

"Yes, yes, I'm just too happy!" I said and gasped for air once again.

"The kids, who get a role in the end, will automatically secure a scholarship for the Academy of Dance Arts in New York."

* * *

What happened after she had told me these news, I cannot say any more. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the worried face of my dance coach.

"Maddy? Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." I grinned and jumped onto my feet again.

"Be careful! You passed out just a minute ago. I don't think that-"

"Nuts!" I interrupted her and laughed. "I never felt better in my life! I feel great!"

And to prove it, I swirled around in high spirits. Miss Gellar did not look half as convinced as I felt.

"I better take you home in my car."

"No, no." I refused. "That's not necessary."

"Just to make sure you get home safely. It's already getting dark and I know that you have to cross a part of the woods on your way back. Moreover, we can inform your parents about the good news as well."

I gulped. My good mood abated immediately. I never thought about my parents.

I could not tell Miss Gellar, though. She could not know that my parents would prohibit me from going to the castings. I did not lie to Daniel. My parents accepted my passion for dancing as long as it was only a hobby, but they did not accept it as a proper profession. Not even my dad would change his mind about it. He was convinced that I would go to a good college one day. After that, he wanted me to study medicine. Nothing else mattered to him.

Since I told them I want to become a doctor when I was still a kid (before I liked dancing), my parents were almost obsessed by the idea of me becoming a doctor.

And I still could not tell them the truth. I just was not five any more, but fifteen and my wishes had changed. However, they had always been so proud of me that I could not bring myself to burst their bubble.

* * *

When Miss Gellar's silver Chevy turned into Peterson Road, my street, I asked her to drop me off. She looked at me in astonishment while she brought the vehicle to the roadside.

"I want to walk the rest to get some fresh air." I lied and added a small smile.

Miss Gellar frowned and thrummed onto her steering wheel. She surely asked herself if I was hiding something.

"Well." She eventually said and also smiled. "We'll see each other next week, I guess. Send your parents my greetings then. Certainly, they are happy for you, too."

"Yeah, sure." I thought, but just nodded politely and left the car. Immediately, cold drizzle hit my face.

After I had closed the passengers door, Miss Gellar turned her car. Before she drove off, she gave me one last pensive look. I waved until her car was around the next corner before I hit the road.

* * *

"There you are at last! I was quite worried about you. In five minutes, I would have send your father to get you." My mom welcomed me agitated.

I gnashed my teeth:

"I'm not a kid anymore, mom!"

"That's not the problem here. There are also criminals in one-horse towns like Forks, you know."

I just laughed it off while I shook my head. My hair was quite wet, even thought I had only walked a few steps.

"We already talked it over and over again. The last time something really, really bad happened at Forks must have been ages ago. And talking about the other haunting..." I especially meant all the rumors about wolf packs and mass murderer. "...That's just the wanton imagination of some bored tourists."

"Furthermore, Miss Gellar took me home." I added to calm her down for I noticed her uneasy expression. It seemed as if she wanted to talk back, but my dad caught her attention instead when he called for her. That poor fellow was still ill in bed.

Instantly, my mom turned on her heels and waggled up the stairs.

I threw my shoes in a corner and rushed up in my room to call Emma right away. I already forgot all about our fight.

I delightedly told her all about the musical in New York and she was happy for me as well. When I heard someone squeaking in the background, I was assured that all of them had to be still at Anja's house. So, everyone wanted to congratulate me.

Eventually, Emma had successfully occupied the phone again and talked to me in a serious and muffled voice:

"Did you tell your parents already?"

I just kept silent. She knew the answer anyway.

"No, it seems."

Her sigh kindled my bad conscience.

"I can't tell them. You know what they think about my career as a professional dancer."

"Just show them how serious you take your dancing. Your parents aren't so cruel after all. They just want what's best for you and they want you to be happy. I'm sure they'll understand."

"They'll be disappointed in me."

"I don't think so. You don't even know how proud they are of you! The way they look at you when you dance...just believe it!"

"In that case, let's just swap our parents!" I hissed.

"No, that's not what I wanted-" She was interrupted my a loud laughing sound.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow at school." She said hastily.

"But-"

"It's nothing to discuss over the phone. See you tomorrow, Mad!"

"Yeah, see you." I mumbled. Then, she hung up the phone and I let myself fall down on my bed.

Emma could not really help me with my parents at all, but somehow I felt better talking about this stuff with her. At least, I could tell my friends the truth. When something rang, I sat up straight again. First, I thought it was Emma calling be back, but soon I heard my mother answering the door bell.

I looked at my alarm clock. It was almost eight o'clock. Who could it be at that time?  
I panicked. Maybe, Miss Gellar came back to tell my parents about New York after all…

The same time I raised to my feet and opened my door, the call of my mom reached my ears:

"Maddy? Here's someone for you!"

Her voice did not sound angry at all, rather surprised. I rushed down the stairs and stopped next to my mom. She looked at me questionably and opened the door wider for me to see the visitor as well. I froze as I recognized the face.

"What do you want from me?" My voice was barely a whisper, but cold as ice.

* * *

 _ **End of Chapter Four.**_


End file.
